Chase Van Amburg is a first-year Ph.D. Student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, co-advised by Professors Simon Levin and Corina Tarnita. He received a B.A. in Integrative Biology and an M.S. in Applied Math from Harvard University.

Chase studies how information is transmitted across generations through genetic, cultural, and environmental inheritance to explain the emergence of biological organization across scales. His work asks how specialized roles emerge in biological systems: how cells differentiate within multicellular organisms, how individuals occupy social roles within societies, and how these processes relate to ecological niche formation and speciation. He is especially interested in the evolution of non-reproductive individuals in animal societies and how environmental inheritance shapes individual outcomes. Beyond theoretical research, Chase is interested in science communication and applying scientific ideas to real-world problems. He hopes to continue collaborating with organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, the Self-Employed Women's Association, and the Boston Museum of Science.